In a bid to boost India-Kenya defence partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday handed over the keys of 30 field ambulances to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Modi and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta also held delegation level talks. They signed seven pacts, including in the field of defence and security and avoidance of double taxation.
Narendra Modi announced extension of concessional Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 44.95 million to the African nation to help it in development of small and medium enterprises and textiles.
India will also build a cancer hospital in Kenya to provide quality and affordable healthcare.
Kenyatta and I have agreed that terrorism and radicalisation is a common challenge for our two countries, the region and the whole world. We have agreed to deepen our security partnership, including in fields of cyber security, combating drugs and narcotics and human trafficking.Narendra Modi
The MoU on Defence Cooperation will entail staff exchanges, expertise sharing, training, cooperation in hydrography and equipment supply.
Modi said the two countries have shared common interest in security, particularly maritime security, since they are connected by the Indian Ocean.
Kenyatta expressed gratitude to India for the LOC – USD 29.95 million for upgrading of a textile factory and USD 15 million for SMEs and building the cancer hospital.
He said he would personally follow up on the implementation of the decisions taken, which he said would go a long way in deepening the bilateral partnership and boosting prosperity.
Besides MoUs in defence and security, revised pact on avoidance of double taxation and two LOCs, the other agreements were in the fields of visa, housing and measuring standards.
(With PTI inputs)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)